A starting system and method for a microturbine power generation unit

(19)

(11)

EP 1 191 207 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	19.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/16

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	27.03.2002 Bulletin 2002/13

(21)	Application number: 01307997.5

(22)	Date of filing: 19.09.2001

(51)

International Patent Classification (IPC):

H02P 9/08^(2006.01)

F02N 11/04^(2006.01)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

25.09.2000 US 617954

(71)	Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
	Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

(72)	Inventor:
	Sinha, Gautam Clifton Park, New York 12065 (US)

(74)	Representative: Pedder, James Cuthbert et al
	London Patent Operation, General Electric International, Inc., 15 John Adam Street London WC2N 6LU London WC2N 6LU (GB)

(54)	A starting system and method for a microturbine power generation unit

(57) A power electrical system is disclosed for a microturbine power generator (12, 14). The invention permits the microturbine to be started using an external DC power source (18). The DC voltage is converted to a variable DC voltage by means of a bi-directional buck-boost chopper circuit (30), DC bus (24) and a DC-to-AC converter (26). The DC-to-AC converter produces at its output a fixed voltage pattern whose frequency is gradually increased in concert with the DC voltage, to accelerate the microturbine from standstill to startup speed. Once the microturbine is started, the excitation is discontinued , and the DC bus (24) and DC-to-AC converter (26) are used to produce output AC power at a voltage level and frequency to match an electrical load (16).

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